Nokia Ovi Store launch to be bigger than the App Store's

Will debut with 20,000 items

8 May 2009 15:36 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Nokia's as-yet-unconfirmed-when launch of its answer to the App Store - the Ovi Store - is to be the biggest such launch of its kind, according to Forbes.

Niklas Savander, Nokia's executive vice president of services, says the Ovi Store will debut with a "catalog of 20,000 items".

To compare other such launches, the Apple App Store launched with 500 apps, while Google's Android Market opened with around 50.

Due to be pre-loaded on the Nokia N97, the Ovi Store will also be available as a download for existing Nokia customers, but timescale for the launch is still to be confirmed by the Finnish phone company.

Forbes says: "The store is so large because Nokia is stocking it with a broader selection of digital content. The company says there will be lots of entertainment and media files, including an entire category of short videos and 'mobisodes'. The store's 20,000 items will be across all of these categories, not just apps".

In addition to plain old apps or media downloads, the Store will offer recommendations, and will suggest items based on your geographical location.

In contrast to Apple's previous App Store approval policy, Savander says Nokia will reject "objectionable" content, such as porn, but won't block services that compete with its own products.

Full tags

Phones, Apps, Nokia, Ovi Store, Rumours, App Stores